Expressive action for musical instruments.



R. HOPE-JONES. DECD. c. HOPE-JONES, TEMPORARY ADMIHISTRATRIX. EXPRESSIVEACTION FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. I4. I914.

1,292,321 Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

Z 2 SHEETSSHEET I.

IIIIII-Z- m I by I I I l I I l I I wvcmouo I [we zidzceawed 2 3513 r ZIJvim/f IMM R, HOPE-JONES, UECD,

Cr HOPE-lONES,TE?1YPORARY ADMHHSTRATRIX.

XPHESSEVE ACTiON FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPUCAHON FILED NOV. 14. 19m. 1,292,331:

Patented J an. 21, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

4 6296651 10 172 -J57ze$ Aim 4' 72 zlsirairx of UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

ROBERT HOPE-J ONES, DECEASED, LATE OF NORTH TONAWANDA, NEW YORK, BYCECIL HOPE-J ONES, TEMPORARY ADMINISTRATRIX, OF NORTH TONAWANDA, NEWYORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE RUDOLPH WURLITZER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NORTHTONAWANDA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

Application filed November 14, 1914. Serial No. 872,178.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that ROBERT HOPE-J ONES, late of North Tonawanda, in thecounty of Niagara and State of New York, did invent certain new anduseful Improvements in Expressive Actions for Musical Instruments, andthe following is hereby declared to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification, and to thereference-numerals marked thereon.

The present invention relates to musical instruments, especially to thatclass in which a vibratory member is set into motion by a hammer blow,and it has for, its object to provide an actuating mechanism forimparting a movement of greater or less rapidity to a hammer or othermember by applying thereto an initial force, to set it into motion at apredetermined speed, and after a suitable interval has elapsed andbefore the hammer has completed its motion to modify this speed bycausing another force to act thereon to accelerate the motion. To theseand other ends the invention consists in certain improvements andcombinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described,the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of thespecification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic view of a motor actuating deviceoperatively connected to an ordinary piano action, and controlled by apneumatic mechanism in which a perforated sheet is used;

Fig. 2 is'an enlarged detail view of a portion of the perforated sheet;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing perforations of a different shape, and

Fig. 4 shows the actuating device under the control of an ordinary pianokey board.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate thesame parts.

The reproduction of musical selections mechanically has beenunsatisfactory in that it has been impossible to duplicate the controlwhich a performer has over the instrument in the variation of theintensity of individual notes. The present invention provides means forreproducing individually the notes of a musical composition, withexactness both as to duration and strength of tone and generally statedit contemplates using pneumatic hammer operating devices controlled by aplurality of primary and secondary valves, the former being adapted tobe controlled either by the key of the instrument or by means ofperforations in the music sheet, while the secondary valves are ofdifierent sizes and by reason of the differences in the volume of airthey admit said valves regulate the blow delivered by the hammer.

By the adaptation of the invention to a player piano in which aperforated sheet cooperates with a tracker board numerous variations inresults may be accomplished and as a further feature of the inventionthe broad idea is here set forth of providing the tracker board with aplurality of apertures arranged in sets one corresponding to each of thesets of primary valves, and each set being devoted to a single note andemployed for controlling a single key action. This idea is furtherextended to include the perforating of the music sheet in such a waythat the aperture of a given set of apertures uncovered is the one whichwill control the movement of the key to produce a loud or soft effectand further these perforations may be formed to uncover two apertures ofa set successively to obtain still further effects in tone production.

In the drawings the operating mechanism is shown for only one noteaction of a piano, but it will be understood that in practice the partsare duplicated for each note or key. The jack or operating member 1 ofan ordinary piano action (not shown) is connected by a lifting bar 2 toa pneumatic motor or bellows 3, to which fluid under pressure issupplied, through the passage 4 from a supply chamber or wind chest 5.Valves 6 and 7, the former of which is the smaller, close openings 8 and9 leading from the chamber 5 to the passage 4, and a valve head 6 on thesame stem with the valve 6 closes the passage 4 when the opening 8 isuncovered. The valves 6 and 7 are opened by bellows 10 and 11 under thecontrol of primary valves operated by electromagnets 12 and 13. The lastmentioned valves each comprise an armature in the form of a smallmetallic disk 14, which when attracted allows the escape of the airfromthe bellows through an opening such as 15, which allows them to collapseby the pressure in the chamber 5. The -bel--'- lows 10 is connected withthe chamber 5by the customary bleed or passage 15 and the bellows 11 hasa similar bleed.

In order to cause the operation of th hammer with any desired intensity,the valve 6 is first operated, allowing the admission'of pressure'to themotor or key pneumatic? The rapidity of the action of the motor,resulting from this initial impulse, maybe regulated to a nicety by anadjustable valve l6, controlling the admission of fluid through theaperture 8. Before the motor has opened to its full extent, the valve 7is unseated admitting a larger supply of pressure which augments theeffect of the first impulse, and consequently urges the hammer withgreater speed. The period that elapses between impulses determines theforce of the blow im-.

completed before the second impulse occurs,

the effect of the latter is negligible.

The primary valves may be operated in different ways; For example, inFig. l'is shown a perforated sheet '20 passing over. a trackerboard '21.In the latter are sets of passage's22, 22?- for each note actionleadingto separate'bellows 23, 23*, within a vac- 'uum chamber 24. Thisarrangement 'is du- .plicatedfor every note, and the sets of passages22, 22 corresponding to a single note are preferably arranged adjacenteach other so that they may be opened either by separateperforations'22", 22 or by a single aperture in the sheet 20. Thebellows23, 23 carry metallic plates 25, 25 which are adapted to makeelectrical connections between pairs of contact fingers 26, 26 incircuits formed by the wires 27, 2'? leading to the magnets 12 and 13respectively.

It will be'remembered that the valve 6 may be operated in advance of thevalve 7, when these are controlled by a single aperture in'the musicsheet, and this is accomplished by cutting the advance edge iof'suchapertures in thesheet 20 at an angle so that the passage 22 is uncoveredbefore the passage 22 is opened.- This allows air to enter the passage22 and'eXpand the bellows 23, closing the switch 26, and operating themagnet 12, which brings about the operation of the valve 6. Thecontinued motion of'the sheet 20 uncovers the passage 22 after apredetermined time has elapsed, depending on the angle'of the advanceedge of the aperture, causing the operation of the valve 7. Theaperture'A' in Fig. 3 admits air to-both passages at practically thesame instant, thereby causinga very -rapid movement of the hammer, andproducing a loud tone.

Aperture B will produce a medium tone and aperture C a soft tone inaccordance with the. method of operation described.

In Fig. 4 are shown the contacts 26 and 26 in the circuits of themagnets of the primary valves associated with the piano keys and adaptedto be closed by switch members 29, 29 mounted on'the piano key. ,Theswitch member 29 is so adjusted that it connects the contacts 26, beforethe member 29*, engages 'the contacts 26. The time interval between'themaking of the two sets of contacts is varied by the intensity of theblow onthe key. A soft touch will move the key downward more slowly thana hard one, consequently more time will elapse between the operation ofthe valves 6 and 7. This form may be used advantageously in case it isdesired to'havethe keyboard at a from the instrument. V

The claim ofthe invention is: r

struments, the combination with an operatdistance ing member therefor,an actuating pneuvmatic for said member, a fluid pressure :chamber,valves for admittingfluid there.- from to said actuatingpneumatic,'actuating pneumatics for said; valves, electro magnetscontrolling the last-named pneumatics, and r means controlling the'electromagnets arranged to operate them successlvely. V 2. In anexpression actlon for musical 1nstruments, the combination of anoperating member, a pneumatic for actuating said member, a fluidpressure chamber, a plurality of valves for admitting fluid to saidpneumatic, separate actuating pneumatics for said valves, an electricalcircuit, electromagnets in said circuit controlling the lastnamedpneumatics respectively, switches in said circuit each controlling oneof said magnets, pneumatics for actuating said switches, and atracker-board having a pair of passages leading to the last-namedpneumatics, respectively. V

V .GECIL HOPE-JONES, Temporary administratflaz of the estate 07 RobertHope-Jones, deceased. 1

' Witnesses: JOHNLAUTI'N, RICHARD" J. LYNCH.

' 'Copies otthis patent may be obtaincd tor five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner '9: Patents. washingtomagl?

